Tainted Soul
by babybuonarroti
Summary: "I say..." She whispered as the man's lips brushed against hers, her mouth morphing into somewhat of a cocky smirk. "Sorry sweetie." Rated T for darker themes. Set a few years in the future.


**Quick little one-shot I typed up after the idea happened to pop into my head. **

**Disclaimer: I do not, in fact, happen to own Soul Eater.**

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><p>"Maka... I have something rather devastating to ask of you." Kid started, eager to cut right to the chase as soon as he'd heard the door to his 'office' click shut. He turned in his chair to stare directly into the meister's hardened green eyes, the innocent spark they'd once held seemingly replaced by strict professionalism. His stomach churned uncomfortably at what he was about to request. Sometimes the way of the world was a bit too cruel. "I assure you, I would not have called you for this job if I had not been proved that no other could possibly handle it."<p>

Maka sighed, letting out the breath she hadn't realized she was holding. She knew what this was about. She'd been anticipating this moment from the second she'd heard rumor of the job. Of course she would have to take _it_ down. She'd been a fool to hope any of those poor souls who'd taken the job would be able to handle it. All of them had returned with severe injuries, if they'd been lucky enough to return at all. "I know, Kid. I will take care of it."

Kid nodded, golden eyes clearly displaying worry for his long time companion. "Will you be okay, Maka? I know he is, _was_, very special to you. The bond you held cannot be replaced. Please understand that this is a burden you will carry until the end of your days." It was hard for him to maintain the strict, emotionally-detached attitude in situations such as these. After all, the news had come as a shock to everyone. It had been a tragic blow, causing a pain that none of them had been prepared to endure.

"I understand." The ash-blonde woman replied firmly, her face remaining in the same blank expression that she seemed not to have broken for months.

"Very well... who should I assign as your weapon?" The shinigami spoke slowly, as if he expected her to go off in a fit of emotion at any minute.

Maka raised a brow at his tone. "I don't appreciate being regarded as a ticking time bomb, Sir." She said sharply. "And as for a weapon, I won't be needing one."

Without waiting for his cries of protest, which were sure to come, Maka swiftly exited Kid's office. Honestly, she'd been on the receiving end of such pitiful looks and sympathy filled tones lately, and it was quite bothersome. Of course she was devastated about the entire ordeal, how could she not be? The news had been earth shattering at the least, but it wasn't as if she couldn't function. It was a dangerous lifestyle that she had chosen for herself, and the possibility of death, or... worse, to herself or those she was close to had always been apparent to her.

It'd been several years since the defeat of Kishin Asura. In fact, Maka was currently in her twenties. Her hair had gotten longer, though still straight as a pin, and was kept down rather than in the old pigtails she used to sport. She had matured in all aspects, as was to be expected over the years. The woman was much stronger and more logical than she'd been in her teenage years. Not everything had to be solved with brute force and sheer willpower, and she had come to realize that.

She was a three star meister, still taking the more difficult jobs that Shibusen had to offer, still being sent on missions with Tsubaki, Black*Star, Liz, and Patty, hell, even Kid whenever he chose. Her skills were often regarded as 'incredible' or 'unbelievable', thanks to all of the hard work she put into training. She'd also taken to instructing a few of the new one-stars. It was easy to see that she'd done quite a bit of growing up.

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><p>Maka's calculating viridian gaze roamed over the scene, eyes immediately drawn to her target. She let out a breath, wisps of steam slipping past her lips as she stepped into the dull light of the moon. The bitter night air stung her eyes, causing her to tear up involuntarily. Her boots clicked against the cold, hard pavement, effectively calling the attention of her enemy. This wasn't going to be an easy fight, she noted. Assess the situation, find the perfect opportunity to strike.<p>

She took in its appearance as it swung around to stare at her. Skin a deathly pale, almost as white as the unruly ivory locks upon its head, and deep crimson eyes that seemed to pierce through her very being. The grin that split across its face was nothing short of unsettling, its jagged teeth on display. It was bare chested, sporting a large scar that ran diagonally from its shoulder to its opposite hip. Its hands were shoved into the pockets of its filthy, faded black pants which hung loosely at its hips.

"Maka..." It began, letting the name roll off of its tongue. The monster's cocky grin almost seemed mocking, causing the woman's chest to tighten painfully. "It's been too long."

The _insanity_ in her target's wavelength was nearly suffocating, and the small amount of black blood that remained in her veins after all those years was singing. She ignored its temptation of madness and addressed the monster she had come to deal with. "Soul Eater." She replied firmly, tone doing nothing to disguise her distaste for what he'd become.

"Come now, why so formal? You never used to be so curt with me." His smirk grew wider as he took a few steps to close the gap between them. He lifted a hand to run it through her hair, twirling a silky ashen lock around one of his fingers. "Soul~, Soul~."He mocked.

Maka stood still, watching him with narrowed eyes as he let released her hair only to trail his fingers across her shoulder and down the length of her arm. "And we were so _in love_, Maka. That doesn't have to change." He continued as he slowly circled her, "Can't you hear the madness singing? Doesn't its hum travel through your veins? Join me, Maka. Join me so that we can bring this blissful insanity to the rest of the world!"

Maka shuddered at the feeling of his cool breath against the back of her neck. "J-join you?" She repeated, sounding as if she were beginning to doubt her own resolve. The steam of her breath came in shorter spurts as her heart began to race. Her fingers coiled into the palms of her hands, knuckles pink from the cool winter air.

Soul trailed icy kisses around the side of Maka's neck as he completed his circle, bringing his head back up so that he could speak. He towered over her, having gotten much taller than her in the past few years. He pressed his thumb beneath her chin and lifted her head, so as to lock his gaze with hers. "Yes, join me. What good is this all of this _power_ if my love isn't at my side, hm? We could have the world... Together."

Maka looked a bit hesitant, chewing on her bottom lip as she mulled it over. Soul only moved closer to her, using the hand that wasn't holding her chin to pull her closer until she was pressed flush against him. She responded by wrapping her arms loosely around him, viridian eyes regaining some of their innocent shine. "You... you always did say you would give me the world."

"And a promise is a promise, Maka. So what do you say?" Soul whispered through his awfully disguised snickers, knowing he had already convinced the foolish, love blinded meister to join him. His cool breath hit her lips as he dipped his head to seal his offer with a kiss. This had been much easier than he had imagined, as he remembered Maka to have been much stronger. The news of his insanity must have been enough to crush her. Poor, stupid girl. She really did have rotten luck.

"I say.." Maka whispered as the man's lips brushed against hers, mouth morphing into somewhat of a cocky smirk. The arms she held around his waist gave a flash of white light, transforming into silver and black patterned blades, the blades of Maka's weapon form. "Sorry sweetie." The emerald eyed woman finished, quickly pulling her arms towards herself to slice through the insanity consumed man's midsection.

He gave a startled cry, seemingly astonished to have been tricked by the girl. His bright garnet eyes were wide in both agony and confusion, mouth remaining parted slightly. He seemed frozen, unable to utter a last word as the bitter air stole his remaining breath. The look of shock on Soul's face eventually evaporated along with the rest of his physical form, leaving behind only a distorted crimson soul dripping with ink-like blackness to hover in his place.

Maka's smirk melted away to reveal the same blank, almost cold, look that she'd had before. She averted her eyes from the tainted soul that floated in the air. She did not allow herself to mourn for him any longer, as he had certainly been gone long before.

"He wasn't Soul anymore. He would've wanted it to end this way."

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><p><strong>I'm sorry, sad little one-shot. Maka's a little badass though, I just love it. I haven't seen many stories where Soul has fallen to the black blood and Maka was ordered to eliminate him and actually went through with it. I have read a few where she's converted him to sanity again, though. Ah well, review and all that. Hope I didn't give anyone sad feels.<strong>


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